morials are valuable to the church of Christ, as illustrating the faithfulness and grace of her covenanted Mediator. The history of the Belgian confessors abounds with in structive examples of his power and love, written for the encouragement of succeeding generations, and proving that his strength is made perfect in the weakness of his people. A brief relation of the suffering of a pious widow may not be improperly appended to the kindred narrative of Pistorius.

Wendelmutha, daughter of Nicholas, called in her native tongue Wendelmoet Klaessen, was an inhabitant of Monnikendam, a small town, situate on the western coast of the Zuider Zee. The purity and integrity of her character were well known; but her open profession of a purer faith, and constant adherence to its tenets in spite of all attempts of the Romanists, rendered her so obnoxious, that she was sent to Woerden jail, and soon after brought to trial at the Hague, where she was executed on the 20th of November, 1527. During her captivity, the monks used every argument that could shake her confidence, and tried every artifice that could entrap her fidelity, but with out effect. She remained the undaunted Christian heroine, the consistent Christian professor. When some of her relations were commissioned to visit her, and wean her from her purpose of dying for the faith, one of them observed, "Your contempt of death seems to me to arise from ignorance of its bitterness." She instantly replied, "I confess I have not yet tasted death: nor shall I ever taste it; for Christ hath borne it for me, and moreover hath declared, If any man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death."

When interrogated concerning the mass, she boldly answered, "I I know very well that you reverence those little round wafers as though they were some deity; for my part I execrate them as the devil him

self." To one who advised her to confess to the priest while she was yet alive, she promptly replied, "But I am even now dead; yet I live by the Spirit of God. Meanwhile, I have confessed all my sins to my Lord Jesus Christ, who hath graciously forgiven me them: but if I have unwittingly offended any neighbour, I beseech him with all humility to pardon me." A lady of quality, her particular friend, whispered, "Why are you not silent, my Wendelmutha, and think and believe what you choose in your heart, that you may have a longer life?" She answered, with mingled rebuke and affection, "Ah, my sister, you know not what you say! With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." She was finally exhorted by the whole bench of Batavian judicature to revoke her errors. Her response was concise and dignified: "I cleave to the Lord my God, whom I will never desert, from any consideration of life or death."

As she was led to execution, a monk placed a crucifix before her, and invited her to kiss her Saviour; but she declared, "I do not acknowledge this wooden Saviour, but Him who is in the heavens, at the right hand of God the Father Almighty!" When she had ascended the scaf fold, and the moment approached in which she was to be strangled, she modestly closed her eyes, and reclined her head as composing herself to sleep, and so breathed out her faithful spirit, being first choked by the cord, and then reduced to ashes.

Thus did these excellent martyrs join the bright circle, which the exile of Patmos beheld in vision, when he was told, "These are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them."

way."

It is no uncommon thing for men, when brought under the sound of an experimental, heart-searching ministry, to be not only convinced of their sins, but also to feel anger and astonishment, under the persuasion that some one has previously been to the minister and made him acquainted with the leading features of their past character and conduct; "If not," they exclaim, "how could he have known so much of us?" Now, should any reader put the same question, let him know, that the minister who thus, through the Divine blessing, finds his way to the conscience, and lays open much of the heart and actions of his hearers, is one who considers it his duty to study mankind, and to read human nature not merely in books, but among living characters. He associates himself, as far as possible, with those around him; looks into the passing scenes of the day, endeavours to obtain a general knowledge of his people's character, and of the various modes by which they earn their daily bread: the nature of husbandry, of a manufactory, of a lead or coal mine, or whatever may principally occupy the time and thoughts of his flock, he considers quite worth his attention, so as to be able to converse with the idle, the ignorant, the skilful, and the industrious, in a way that shews he has a knowledge of those various subjects which they are most familiar with; and that his wisdom is not confined merely to the Bible, nor his profitable conversation exclusively to pulpit discourses. He endeavours to impress the minds of his people with this important subject-namely, that he not only shall be at all times happy to counsel and instruct them, but that he really is competent to do so in most

or in all of those matters which can

call for such assistance. He is well aware that the idle and designing part of a parish are always ready to impose on a good-natured minister, with the most ridiculous and hypocritical relations, if they find him unacquainted with the nature of the subject. Nor is this all; they will absolutely ridicule the good-natured man behind his back, for his ignorance, and tell, with no small degree of pleasure and vanity, how they have imposed on him by shunning his observation, or by making him believe what they knew to be false, either respecting their work, their circumstances, their health, their trials, or their difficulties, which very often their own bad conduct has brought on them. Hence the useful pastor makes himself acquainted with these matters, that he may, in his domestic visits, in his private conversations, and in his public discourses aim the weapons of his warfare against those follies, sins, and strong-holds of Satan which require to be most seriously attacked. And he who does not thus act and study mankind is not very likely to succeed, as a village pastor, in his public administrations, however closely he may exercise his intellectual faculties in his study. Nay it is quite possible for one who is a most accomplished scholar and a profound critic, to be a very ineffective village pastor. With great literary talents, and with a sincere desire of doing good, he may do very little among his parishioners from the mere want of this sort of training and fitness, which no college or application to books can furnish. The village pastor should not only be a divine, but a man of business; have, not only a classical mind, but a mind that can stoop to and understand many unclassical subjects, and grapple with the hypocrite and deceiver in his labours abroad and in his retirements at

home, as well as sympathise and pray with the afflicted and sick and dying of different descriptions. Very often it happens that the country clergyman is the only indi vidual in the whole parish to whom any one can look up to with any prospect of success when difficulties arise. And should he either hold himself aloof from his people, or not be familiar with all the surrounding circumstances of his flock, he will lose many an opportunity of being useful to their souls.

So convinced was the writer of the great importance of this kind of training that it was his aim to learn all he could in this way from the first day wherein his mind was directed to the work of the ministry up to the period wherein he took on him that solemn office: and every year that has since passed over his head has served to confirm him in the correctness of these impressions, and has most fully convinced him that, with a view of usefulness among a rustic or country people, the minister must go in and out among his flock, and become familiar with common-place life, and all the dull unclassical reality of men and things as they are. To such habits and information he may add as much of the gentlenian and scholar as he pleases, as much of the scholastic divine and man of critical taste for books and composition as he 'can; but let him not for one moment imagine that the latter qualifications will render the former unnecessary or out of place.

It was the writer's privilege to sojourn with some wise and good men during his preparation for the ministry; men who read their Bibles at home, and then read mankind abroad, and more especially within the range of their ministerial labours. On many occasions he accompanied them in their rounds of visiting the sick and admonishing the healthy; and he soon found that a diversity of character and a variation of circumstances were daily presenting them

selves on a scale far beyond all his former conceptions.

Should any of the readers of the Christian Guardian wish to retrace with the writer some of those hours, and review what then passed before his eyes, they may peruse the fol lowing sketches as strictly matters of fact, taken from real life, which, although they are neither new in the world nor romantic in their nature, will serve to shew some things that may be worthy of imitating, and some that it is desirous of avoiding, as well as exhibit a part of the village pastor's pursuits, encouragements, and trials in the prosecution of his ministerial duties.

"

we

It was in the lovely season of the spring when my friend Erastus informed me that he was going rather a long ride, and in a direction that was new to me. When the family had breakfasted, and some sick poor had been supplied with articles from the family medicine-chest, mounted our horses, and after riding a mile on the public road, left it, and proceeded along a winding rural lane, cheered with the singing of birds, and regaled with the sweets of wild roses and honeysuckles on either hand. My friend seemed thoughtful; and I felt unwilling to break in, by untimely conversation, on those meditations which, I doubted not, the business of our journey and the various circumstances of the different objects of his attention gave rise to. Indeed, something of the importance of such a mission struck my own mind; and I felt the justness of the Apostle's words, "Who is sufficient for these things?" as implying man's total insufficiency in himself to say or to do any thing really good or useful. By and by we came to a cottage, which stood in an orchard, a little way out of the lane. A child was at the door, who, observing us alight and hang our horses to the fence, ran in and gave the alarm to its grandmother. On entering the cottage the old woman presented her

self, and exhibited a neat and respectable figure, such as one would wish all our cottage matrons to ex. hibit. Her looks and her words expressed her joy at our arrival. "Well, mother," inquired my friend, and how is your daughter to day?" "I thank you, sir: the stuff you sent her keeps off her pains a good deal; but she gets weaker and weaker: she cannot hold it long. Pray go up and see her." Ascending a very crazy and awkward flight of steps, we entered the sick room, where all bespoke the humble station of the inhabitants; but the order and de, cency of the room shewed that poor people may be neat and cleanly in their apartment, as well as in their persons, if there is the desire to be so.

The sick person was a young mar, ried woman, about twenty-five years of age, and was the mother of the little boy we found at the door. A deep consumption had now confined her to her bed, and extinguished every hope of a recovery. The appearance of my friend was evidently most welcome. A chair stood near her bedside; it held a little pot of flowers, a Testament, and hymn book, with some currant-jelly: these being removed by the old woman, Eras tus sat down, and, after putting a few questions of a medical nature, he began to inquire into the state of her mind since he last saw her. I shall not, because it would be in vain, attempt to particularise much that passed. There was so much of a placid, humble, intelligent state of mind about her, that I could not but envy her situation. Her soul appeared to enjoy very much of a heavenly calm, and a good and firm hope through grace. Death had certainly lost its sting, and her whole thoughts appeared to rest in anticipation on those joys which were soon to be revealed. During a long and edifying conversation between my friend and the sick woman, the aged mother sat on the foot of the daughter's bed, with her eyes fixed

66

on the floor, in thoughtful sorrow, In the course of conversation, the sick woman pointed out two or three passages in the New Testament to my friend, as having afforded her instruction and comfort since his last visit. They were now read over, and a few remarks made on them: my friend then went to prayer, and we took up our hats to leave the room, when the sick woman said, " O, sir, I had almost forgot to tell you, that I have had Mrs. calling on me since you were here. She seems a very kind lady, and was a good deal affected at what she called my distressing situation." "Indeed!" said my friend, a little surprised; " and did she converse with you on religious subjects?" "Yes, sir; she read two or three chapters to me, and then she talked to me about them; but I am afraid, sir, she does not understand much of the meaning.". Why do you think so?" replied Erastus. "Because, sir, when I had remarked what a mercy and comfort it was that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, she said, "Yes; but then you have very few sins to answer for, and may make yourself quite easy." "Well," replied my friend," and what did you think of such consolation as that?" 66 Oh, sir," said the poor woman, “ I know I am a great sinner, and I told Mrs. — 80 ; but she would have it, that I was so young, and had led such a good life, that I had very few sins to answer for. I told her again, that though I had not run into such open and scandalous sins as many have done, yet that I was born in sin, and was by nature a child of wrath, even as others, and could never be saved but in and through the merits and sacrifice of Christ. But, after all, sir, she did not seem to understand it, or to think me the sort of person I said I was. She, however, is a very kind lady, and has promised to come again.. "I doubt not her kind intentions," said Erastus; "but kind intentions are not always

accompanied with wise counsel and prudent actions. She thinks you are a great sufferer, and that you must soon die; and hence, that the thoughts of death must distress your mind; and she is desirous of mitigating your sufferings, and cheering your spirits, as the world terms it. But, my friend, had you no better foundation of hope, no higher views, no surer prospects than those she placed before you, this room, under its present circumstances, would be a melancholy place, and your ap proaching state most gloomy indeed. I bless God, that he has taught you a better creed. I rejoice that his cheering presence supports you under all your pains and trials, and that he has given you to look at death as a disarmed foe. It is your duty to be thankful for this lady's kindness; and the best return you can make, is to pray to that Saviour whom your soul trusts and delights in, to open the eyes of her understanding, that she may see and feel her need of his salvation for herself." "Indeed, sir, I do," said she; " and I should be so glad if you should happen to come one of these days when she is here; for though she does not go to our church, she says, she should like to hear you converse." "Well, be that as it may," said Erastus, "I hope you will be thankful to the Giver of every good and perfect gift, for your own mercies, and that you will pray for her. I must now leave you for the present. God bless you. Send, if you want any more medicine; and let me know, mother, if your daughter should be taken worse.' "Yes, sir; and I return you a thousand thanks for all your kindness; and do, sir, come again," added the happy, grateful daughter; "do come again before the week is out." Erastus nodded consent, and we descended the old stairs, and proceeded on our way along the lane. "We have certainly left a real and a happy Christian," said I, as we rode along. "We have," replied my friend; "her soul

For

is blessed with that steady scrip tural peace-with that simplicity of faith, and that tranquil humble hope, which makes her case at once enviable and interesting. But, though her sky is now so clear and serene, it was not always so. The Lord was pleased to lead her through deep waters, and to permit no small share of trials to fall in her way. As a single woman, her conduct and character stood higher than many of her neighbours; and, since her marriage, she has conducted herself with much propriety; but when the Lord opened her eyes to see herself in the glass of his word, she almost sunk under the view. several months she groaned beneath her burden, without imparting one tale of her sorrows to any individual. And to increase her afflictions, her husband soon became a surly and brutal fellow, seldom permitting her to attend the church either on the Thursday evenings or on Sundays. And even now, seeing, as he does, how rapidly she is hastening to the grave, his unfeeling heart remains unsoftened. He actually comes home in the evening, and proceeds to work in the in the morning, for days together, without shewing the smallest sympathy or affection, or even asking her how she is.

The Lord, however, has given her peace; and in his gracious providence has enabled that neat old woman, her mother, to come from a distant parish, and attend upon her; and now and then, some of our serious young women, and some of our older Christian friends, come and pass an hour or two with her.

"that

"And what," inquired I," do you think of the old woman?" "I have great hopes," said Erastus, the Lord is blessing her daughter's words and prayers to her soul's good. She came here a very self-righteous character, and for a while would neither believe herself nor her daughter a sinner; but the conversations, and example, and prayers of the latter have not been in vain in